What's in a name?

Since Pepper's birth people have repeatedly asked where her name came from. 

The minute we definitively decided it would be THE name, we knew it would be the most common question. We also knew it would be met with either thrill and/or confusion, dislike -  hence our decision to keep it quiet until birth. While I could not be more obsessed with our daughter's name I didn't want to deal with comments and less than enthusiastic facial expressions. 

Some parents choose names that are close to their heart. Family names, names that remind them of something beautiful or simply because they sound beautiful. We chose Cruz because of it's meaning and origin and Nicholas - well it was always known our first son would carry the tradition of inheriting Dad's first name as a middle name. 

Nick is Nicholas Robert

Bob (Nick's dad) is Robert William

The name Valentine is a nod to my Hispanic family - which I wanted. My grandma Rosie's (Rosanna Beatrice) dad was Dante Valentino and according to my sweet grandma, 4 other Dupont men carried the name Valentino. I love the name Clementine - a name which Nick quickly veto'd as a first name option - so learning the significance of Valentino in my family and how similar Valentine is to Clementine...done and done.

Pepper on the other hand was a total fluke. 

One evening before finding out we were expecting I was browsing Pinterest - as I do every evening before bed. I came across an amazing baby girl board and it was titled Baby Pepper. I gasped. Honestly. Love at first sight. After coming to, I yell to Nick:

"Nick, what do you think about the name Pepper for our daughter?" 

Crossing my fingers and praying he loved it more than anything....

He should't have been that surprised. He knew my heart's desire for the most unique name in history - here and here. 

"Pepper...Pepper. I like it. I really like it."

"YESSSSSSSS! Seriously? Pepper Salzwedel?"

"I love it."

Pepper Valentine. It's always been Pepper Valentine. 

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(May your story be full of spice, strength, pride, confidence and love, little girl)